Italy-France (3-1) : Zidane recognizes a "feared" team, Di Meco judges the critics unfair

The French team missed its first opportunity to join the quarter finals of the League of Nations. Beat by Italy (3-1), Thursday 12 November 2026 in San Siro, on the fifth day, she conceded her first defeat under Zinédine Zidane, after three victories and a draw in her first rally. The stories of franceinfo, the World, LCI, Foot Mercato and AFP converge: a good French start did not resist Italian efficiency and the defensive fragility of the Blues. [S6] [S7] [S9] [S14] [S20] [S5]

Olise throws the Blues, Esposito catches them

Deprived, in particular, of Kylian Mbappé, who was hit by the ischio-legs according to CNews, and of Ousmane Dembélé, as well as several holders according to LCI, France began with authority, under a beating rain and on a lawn in poor condition. His cleaning pushed Gianluigi Donnarumma to a missed recovery, recovered by Michael Olise. The Frenchman eliminated defender Bastoni before opening the score. Franceinfo and AFP set the goal in the 10th minute, Foot Mercato in the 11th: a slight difference in timing, without disagreement on the action. [S8] [S19] [S7] [S14] [S20] [S9]

Italy replied from its first opportunity. Nicolò Cambiaghi overflowed Malo Gusto and then served Pio Esposito, who beat the defense to deceive Mike Maignan in the 26th minute. Bradley Barcola's wound then struck the post at 35th. At the break, both teams were tied, despite visitors' opportunities. [S14] [S20] [S17]

Two poles, then a defense giving way

When the changing rooms returned, Rayan Cherki also found the amount, at the 52nd minute, on a strike deviated by Donnarumma according to the AFP. The Italian guard also resisted Adrien Rabiot. These opportunities explain French frustration, but they do not sum up a meeting where Italy regularly threatened the opposing defence. [S7] [S14] [S20]

The turn occurred around the hour of play. Gusto conceded a penalty by unlawfully stopping Cambiaghi, but Sebastiano Esposito fired out of the frame. The respite was brief: in the 63rd minute, Federico Dimarco, just entered, centered for Davide Frattesi, author of the second goal. [S7] [S14] [S20]

A risky revival of Truffert, then a fault of Dayot Upamecano on Antonio Vergara, offered a second penalty to the Azzurri. Pio Esposito transformed it at the 75th minute to sign a double. Zidane's many changes, including the entry of three novices, Eli Junior Krupi, Senny Mayulu and Saël Kumbedi, did not reverse the dynamics. According to the AFP, Italy had no longer beaten France at home since 1962. [S14] [S9] [S7] [S20]

Zidane: "We've been a little scattered"

At TF1, in comments reported by Foot Mercato, L-Team and RMC Sport, the breeder placed responsibility on collective behaviour rather than absences. He admits difficulties "in the duels and in the 1st to 1st" and believes that, when Italy took the advantage, his team was "not able to react and stay within the game set up". "We've dispersed a little bit, also defensively," he summarized. [S5] [S11] [S15]

In another interview reported by the team, he puts the swing on the back of the locker room: "We got scared after the break," he regrets, while indicating that he does not intend to change his playing principles. 20 Minutes talks about a team that "totally cracked" in the second period, CNews mainly retains its word "learning", which he says is valid for both the staff and the players. [S4] [S10] [S8]

Zidane refuses to dramatize. "We're not worried, it's part of football," he said, adding that it was better to go through this kind of time now. He felt that it was "not a non-game" and that defeat was "not entirely deserved," given the opportunities and possession. He also gave Rayan Cherki good reason, without the sources detailing the exact content of his remarks. [S5] [S15]

This reading belongs to him. Franceinfo makes a more severe observation, evoking a lack of precision and control in the face of Italian offensives, and Europe 1 speaks of a team that has "completely dropped". The two assessments are united on one point: the Blues had opportunities, but did not hold defensively. [S7] [S2] [S5]

Di Meco prend la défense du sélectionneur

Tous les observateurs ne font pas le même procès. Sur RMC, le consultant Eric Di Meco a jugé les critiques adressées à Zidane injustes. Il rappelle que les matchs internationaux de novembre tombent en pleine Ligue des champions, une période où surviennent souvent « des accidents ou des matchs un peu bizarres » [S1].

Surtout, il pointe une contradiction : « Les mecs critiquaient Didier Deschamps car il ne prenait jamais de risque », lance-t-il, alors qu'on reproche désormais à Zidane de faire des essais et d'aligner quatre attaquants dès sa première défaite [S1]. L'argument porte sur le rôle du sélectionneur, qui assume ses choix offensifs et en répond sur le résultat, plus que sur la seule rencontre de San Siro. Il ne contredit pas les constats défensifs dressés par franceinfo ou Europe 1, mais il replace la défaite dans un cycle de cinq matchs, avec trois victoires et un nul auparavant [S1][S7][S2].

Qualifying against Turkey

Italy takes the lead in group A1 with ten points, like France. The AFP explains this advantage through direct confrontations, LCI by a better difference of goals. Belgium follows with nine points, Turkey has none after five defeats. [S20] [S9] [S5]

Les sources divergent sur le scénario exact : Le Monde, LCI et RMC indiquent qu’un nul contre la Turquie suffira aux Bleus pour se qualifier, tandis qu’Europe 1 estime qu’ils devront gagner. Foot Mercato précise qu’une victoire, combinée à un faux pas de l’Italie en Belgique, rendrait à la France la première place. Le match aura lieu dimanche à 20 h 45 à Bordeaux ; ce sera le sixième de l’ère Zidane et le dernier de l’année civile [S1]. Concernant Mbappé, Zidane espère l’aligner : « Je crois que ce n’est pas grand-chose. L’idée, c’est de le faire jouer », a-t-il dit sur TF1, mais sa disponibilité devait être évaluée dès vendredi. [S6] [S9] [S2] [S5] [S7] [S15]